


Staking Claims

by ConniptionCrazy



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek is a secret sap, Derek is actually really nervous on the inside, Feels, Lydia is good at keeping people in line, M/M, Stiles understands, fluff abound, proposal fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-12
Updated: 2013-04-12
Packaged: 2017-12-08 07:26:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/758683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConniptionCrazy/pseuds/ConniptionCrazy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek's gonna put a ring on it. If he can remember how to breathe long enough to do so, that is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Staking Claims

Derek’s done a lot of stupid things in his life. He’s lied and cheated and killed; he’s done a lot of things he’s not proud of. He’s a pretty face, a muscular body, coupled with a really shit personality. And his past is colorful and honestly also shit. Derek knows he’s damaged goods. He’s broken and fractured and cracked in so many places it’s a wonder he’s not drooling on the floor somewhere or bleeding out in his bathtub.

 

He closes himself off from the world. He glares and scowls and chases his own pack off half the time. He broods and hates, and somehow he makes it through the social world. Somehow.

 

And even though the teenagers he changed aren’t really teenagers anymore- they’re in college and have relationships and jobs now- they still act like it. They make Derek feel like it sometimes, too. They still have pack meetings at Derek’s (renovated) house, and Derek remembers how it used to be, watching from the porch as they all left, trickling home. That’s the only part of Derek’s life that’s really changed.

 

Because now he has someone to wait with.

 

Stiles’ lanky body presses up against Derek’s, slipping the other’s arm around his waist or shoulders as Stiles waves to the pack.

 

He makes Derek something he hasn’t been in a long time- happy.

 

Stiles, who has saved his life too many times to count. Stiles, with his pale skin and dark moles and shining eyes and huge smile. Who always has a hug or a kiss ready for Derek, who holds his hand over the center console in the car and babbles while gesturing wildly with his other hand. Who screams Derek’s name when he comes and shakes like he’s coming apart.

 

He makes Derek feel safe and wanted and whole. With Stiles, a little bit of the guilt fades away. The grief gets easier to deal with. Stiles, who loves him, and who he loves in return.

 

That’s why he’s here, standing in the cool night air, hands in the pockets of his leather jacket as he looks up at the moon from Scott’s backyard. It’s his and Allison’s anniversary party. They’d gotten married the moment they were out of high school, and Derek was honestly happy for them. They deserved to be happy. And Scott had confided in Derek that he thought Allison was his mate. Derek had smirked, scoffed, and said he knew they were mates. He hadn’t been lying.

 

Derek runs his thumb over the little velvet box in his pocket. He wasn’t sure if he should have gotten the ring. He wasn’t sure about the little velvet box. He and Stiles had never been a couple for big shows of affection. They mooned over each other in public plenty, and they’d made out in front of the pack several times. But gifts weren’t really something they did. They’d never really talked about it, and Derek was starting to worry. Should he have surprised Stiles more? Brought him flowers or something?

 

He’s only getting more worked up about it the more he thinks. They’ve been together for three years. Only three years, it feels like. Should he have waited longer? He’d already asked the Sheriff for his blessing. He’d given it, tears in his eyes, clapping Derek on the shoulder and telling Derek to take care of his little boy.

 

Derek would always take care of Stiles.

 

But now he was stalling. He needed to go back in there and pull Stiles aside and set himself up for rejection. Because surely- surely Stiles would say no. Derek... Stiles could do so much better than him. Stiles could find someone who wasn’t a douchebag.

 

The thought was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, but it was true. Derek took a deep, steadying breath.

 

He turned and went back to the party. Stiles, who had been talking to Isaac, spotted him first. His whole face lit up, a grin that almost split his cheeks. Derek had to smile back, his heart stuttering. Derek loved him so much. He could hardly contain himself.

 

Somehow, however, Derek managed to be calm and collected as he crossed the room. He touched Stiles’ elbow and his heart started jackrabbiting in his chest.

 

He was going to bring Stiles outside, or to another room. Somewhere, anywhere more private, but Erica was looking at him like she knew what he was about to do (impossible- Derek hadn’t told anyone) and Lydia is shaking her head like she isn’t going to let him pass by any means.

 

Okay. He wasn’t about to fight either one of them on a good day, and he definitely couldn’t right now, not when his knees felt watery and his throat is all closed up and fuck, could he actually do this?

 

Derek looks to Stiles, who had returned to talking to Isaac, used to the casual touches Derek bestowed upon him. Stiles has moved to holding his hand, their fingers intertwined. Derek looks at the joining and swallows. He has to do it now or he never will.

 

Derek squeezes Stiles’ hand insistently to get his attention.

 

“Hold that thought.” Stiles chirps to Isaac and turns his gaze to Derek, smiling in that way he saves just for his wolf.

 

It makes Derek tremble on the inside.

 

He drops to his knees, not meeting Stiles’ eyes. He’s way, way too nervous. The room’s gone silent but Derek can’t hear it over the rushing of blood in his own ears.

 

“I know-” He breaks off and clears his throat, has to try again. “I know it’s not exactly easy, being with me. What with constant threats on your life and everything.” He had a speech prepared. This wasn’t it. “And I know I’m belligerent, and I don’t talk much.” He breathes harshly through his nose. “I’m... I’m working on that.” He feels like he’s going to pass out. “But I love you.” His voice breaks. “And you make me feel...” No words for how awesome. “Will you- You’re my mate, Stiles, there’s no one else for me- or my wolf-” He’s starting to get tongue-tied, better finish this up before he embarrasses himself even more. “Will you marry me?” He holds out the ring.

 

Derek is trying to remember how to breathe normally again, feeling lightheaded. It’s not working very well. The silence hangs. His heart is pounding and Derek can’t look up- his shoulders tense up like he’s expecting Stiles to punch him.

 

But Stiles isn’t doing that. He can smell tears and Derek looks up, surprised. It showed on his face- he wasn’t expecting Stiles to cry. Tears stream down Stiles’ face, but he is smiling the smile he only ever shows Derek. Small and so genuine it makes Derek’s heart ache with affection right back.

 

Stiles sniffles, his hands flitting on Derek’s shoulders and then to the ring and back. Finally, he urges Derek up. Derek shifts nervously, smiling a little, trying not to be too awkward. Stiles’ arms go around his neck and they’re kissing. Derek’s eyes close and he smiles into it, relaxing into Stiles because Stiles gets him.

 

“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you, of course I’ll marry you, I love you too.” Stiles is choking on tears, so Derek wraps his arms around his waist and holds him up as he cries, fond and affectionate and relieved.

 

He can’t believe he thought Stiles might say no. That this might not happen. Stiles was his and he needed to stop doubting how much Stiles loved him. There’s clapping and whistling and cheering from all around them and Derek barely hears it, so focused on Stiles and this moment as he is.

 

Stiles loves him. _Stiles_ loves him. _Him, Derek._

 

Derek holds on until Boyd pulls him away to slap him on the back. Scott is hugging Stiles hard and Isaac buries his face in Derek’s chest. Derek grins, doesn’t try to hold it back, and hugs him too.

 

This is the family they’ve built. Close and tight and his. They know the danger is out there now, and Derek has learned not to be paranoid about it anymore. He’s learned how to let go a little bit- mostly thanks to Stiles. Derek loves all of them- every single one. Even Jackson, even though he can really be just as much of a dick as Derek is sometimes.

 

The pack finally lets them go and Derek slips the ring on Stiles’ finger before they leave to let Scott and Allison do their thing, whatever that is. Stiles holds his hand across the center console when they go home and Derek has never been happier in his life.

 

Home is the Hale house, now Derek’s and Stiles’, and they share Derek’s room because his bed is the best and it was the room they ended up in the most often. The house is mercifully empty when they arrive, and Derek wastes little time in getting them both up the stairs and into bed and out of their clothing.

 

Later, in the morning, Derek wakes to see Stiles on his back beside him, admiring and twirling the ring around his finger.

 

“It’s not too plain?” Derek asks, voice rough with sleep. He is worried about that, though, even if his facial expressions haven’t caught up with the program.

 

“It’s perfect.” Stiles breathes and grins at him, eyes bright.

 

Been awake for some time, then.

 

“I especially love what’s engraved inside.” Stiles rolls on top of him and proceeds to kiss Derek into stupidity.

 

_Mine._

 

-Finis-

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like. ;w; I just felt the need to write this and I'm not entirely satisfied with how it turned out, but I hope you guys think it's satisfactory anyway. Thanks for reading! ;u;


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